November 13th, 2009 . 1:37 am . By: Buzz Carrick

So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits – I hope you have found a friend.  Closing time – every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. - Dan Wilson

Training this week was supposed to be Wednesday and Friday.  I headed up on Wednesday and was informed by coach Hyndman that training on Friday was moved to Thursday.  Hyndman didn’t have time to talk on Wednesday cause he had to go to a meeting with ownership at 11 am and was going to miss the back end training as it was.

So I came back on Thursday to watch again and talk to coach Hyndman.  Drew Keeshan ran the rest of Wednesday’s session as he was the only coach left at training  I’ll get back to what that is.

News, Notes and Observations

- Lee Nguyen is still around.

-  As is Alfonso Montagalvan.  Hyndman sat down with him after training on Thursday for a quick chat.  I’m sure he was informing the young man of his status.  Whatever that may be.  We’ll know more next spring on that front.  But I’m not holding my breath.

- Coach Hyndman is going to be scouting Conference USA this week.  He’s also going to Ghana at some point

- John Ellinger was gone Wednesday watching the ACC.  He came back Wednesday night after some weather messed with the tournament schedule.  Elligner is going to Germany next Tuesday to watch some people.

- Marco Ferruzzi was missing as he’s scouting the Big 10 and the MVC.

- Drew Keeshan will be heading to England this winter to scout.  This week he’s going to catch the Big East tourney and the Colonial AA.  Since UConn got knocked out early, he’ll also go see them in the NCAA first round just to make sure they get a look.

- Dax McCarty, Jeff Cunningham, and Heath Pearce are with the US National Team.

- Kyle Davies is missing for hernia surgery.  Not a sports hernia either, but a real one.  He’s out 2-3 months.

- Bryan Leyva is back from playing with Mexico in the U17 Worlds.  Hyndman gave Leyva an introduction and applause of some sort in front of the team on Wednesday.  I couldn’t hear what he said.

- FC Dallas holds a loan options on David Ferreira.  But as Steve Davis mentioned, it’s at a higher cost.  FCD would like to negotiate is down some.  So it’s not 100% Ferreira will be back.  If I may be so bold, I think it will be worked out.  Ferreira is to key to FCD at this stage.

- FCD has an option on Daniel Hernandez for 2010, but there is a apparently a team in Mexico interested.  So how much they want him may determine if Hernandez is back for next year.

- Jeff Cunningham is guaranteed for 2010 after hitting a goals incentive in his contract.

- FCD also has an option on Dave van Den Bergh for next year.

- Andre Rocha’s loan is up.  Which doesn’t mean he can’t come back next year.  I’m not holding my breath on that one either.

- George John is outside both days rehabbing.

- Hyndman complimented Steve Purdy on Thursday, saying this last two weeks was his best since the spring.  Hyndman says Purdy is pain free when standing but is still slightly bothered when decelerating.  He called Purdy 95%.

- On Wednesday Keehsan said getting a loan for Josh Lambo is a high priority next season.

Catching Up with Schellas Hyndman

Most of it a paraphrased above.  But here’s one about drafting this winter that has some interesting stuff in it.

You have a couple early picks and not a lot of room.  What’s the philosophy in terms of drafting?

It all comes down to dealing with the expansion draft, who we’re putting out there.  Who we might lose.  Now is that position going to be a necessity that we now have to fill.  So we’re on a little bit of quicksand, meaning it changes.

At the same time I think we have a pretty good foundation of the team that we finished  with this year. I like where we are and I’d like to build on it.  I think the biggest mistake we can make it leave it. saying, “hey man we turned the corner, we’re playing good soccer, let’s just add some reserves and go forward.”  Because players are getting older.  Potential injuries, we were really fortunate Jeff [Cunningham] never got injured.  You know I was always worried about that one.

So what do we look for in the draft?  Yeah, if we can find a player that can come in and help us right away I think it’s important.  Well you say, that’s tough to do.  Take a look at a George John.  if he could have been healthy all year I think he could have been one of those player that we talk about rookie of the year.  We need to find more players like a George John who can come in and help us.

Buzz’s Coach Speak Translator: No more kids, I got kids coming out my ears.

Training

Wednesday

Wednesday was a light hearted fun session.  Mostly it consisted of a 40 yard game.  Part one was almost Aussie Rules like, players would throw the ball from one to another, but could only take five steps.  Goals could be scored by throwing the ball.  Part two was mostly the same except the ball had to be volleyed in off a thrown pass.  Part three was open play all with the feet, a.k.a. soccer.  It was a funny, laughing, and enjoyable game.

Green: Ferreira, Harris, Rocha, Marosevic, Montagalvan, Ihemelu, Purdy, Chavez, Nguyen.
Blue: vdBergh, Shea, Guarda, Jair, Hernandez, Leyva, Wagner, Wallace, Avila, and Burse (yes in the field)

Wednesday session finished with the hit the cross bar game.  Hit the bar and the player could go in.  Last three: Nguyen, Purdy, and Leyva.

Thursday

After the warm up was all shooting gallery drill.  Two teams play, two more on the outside as one touch neutral players.  Lambo, Ferreira, and Chavez played keeper.  Keeshan joined any team playing Red as an extra field player to make up for Red’s extra player.

Green: Guarda, Jair, Rocha, Purdy
White: Hernandez, Burse, Marosevic, Harris
Blue: Wallace, Ihemelu, Wagner, Montagalvan
Red: Sala, Avila, Shea, vsBergh, Leyva.

Thought of the Day

I was discussing the age of MLS teams with coach Hyndman and he mentioned something to me that I found interesting.  The discussion started when talking about the Climbing the Ladder MLS team age post that says the 2007 FC Dallas team was the second youngest in league history.

Hyndman was talking about how FCD and Houston this year are close (27.10 to 28.13 according to CTL), but that the similar age was misleading.  It can be said that most players hit their prime from 27 to 29.  Hyndman mentioned that Houston has several players in that age bracket. FCD has none.  Houston has only one Ga player and a couple developmental ones.  Dallas has six Gas.

That means in essence FCD has a bunch of young guys and a bunch of old guys.  Houston, while they have some old’ish guys, has very few really young players.  Houston has far more in their prime and Dallas skews to the extremes on both ends.

It’s an interesting observation and Hyndman seems clearly focused on addressing it.  That leads me to think there may be more changes this winter than I had maybe anticipated.  Less kids under 20s and less old guys in their mid 30s.

I was already anticipating a handful or changes, now I expect even more.

I’m glad to hear Hyndman isn’t planning on standing pat.

Categories: Practice Observations.

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